Written by Raisinberry

Mary Kay Cosmetics and its recruiters are so fond of worksheets. There are worksheets that will tell you that you’re perfect for Mary Kay. And the worksheet that magically determines that everyone (regardless of any facts) needs at least $1,800 of inventory (if not $3,600). Here’s a worksheet for everyone in Mary Kay…

Please answer the following questions to the best of your ability with 100% honesty. You can score your answers at the end to allow an informed objective voice (your own), and take the necessary steps toward an authentic life. Questions that do not apply, score with zero.

1. You remember a feeling of embarrassment or shame when initially telling people you were selling Mary Kay. (yes-2, no-0)

2. You remember a feeling of dishonesty when using scripts to either get a guest to your event, or book a hostess. If the script worked, the feeling became of no importance. (yes-2, no-0)

3. You remember an odd feeling of being “outside” the fun at your first Mary Kay event, curiously drawn in and also subtly repelled. (yes 2, no-0

4. You remember being excited about hearing that someone important was doing Mary Kay. A local newscaster, a lawyer, a celebrity. You welcomed the validation of your own decision. (yes-2, no-0)

5. You can remember feeling awkward for having brought your friends or guests to meeting. Aware that they were being “pressured” to join, you would be seen as a “bait and switch” artist. (yes-2, no-0)

6. You joined to make money and have fun, but within 6 months found yourself in greater credit card debt than before. (Yes-2, no-0)

7. You remember looking at your shelves thinking you can not possibly order any more product, and found yourself doing a minimum anyway, maintaining consistency or helping the unit goal. (yes-2, no-0)

8. You have experienced ordering a minimum order in someone else’s name, in order to qualify for a contest or career path recognition. (yes-2, no-0)

9. You are motivated by being left out. You may not be fully aware of this but you have come to realize that you do not want to be the one who didn’t “make it”, or be singled out for “not helping” in front of peers. (yes-2, no-0)

10. You recall that you felt doubts when the same ladies seemed to hit the top sales for the week, and wondered why “the honor” system was acceptable. (yes-2 , no- 0)

11. You came to dread the month end calls from your Director, asking you what your order was going to be. (yes-2, no-0)

12. Your classes were generally longer than 2 hours, yet you allowed your “hourly” to be announced using that figure. (yes-2, no-0)

13. You felt funny at the star events being recognized for being a star when you hadn’t sold much. You stood on the stage, took the certificate or other such recognition, and did not share that the star was bought not earned. (yes-2, no-0)

14. You attend company events, getting the initial pop of enthusiasm, but soon find yourself back where you started with the same obstacles. You became convinced that the “miracle” thing you needed to hear to change it all was going to be at the next event. (yes-2, no-0)

15. You have experienced a “dis” from your Director for either not attending a company event, or no longer ordering. You can recall her attention always shifting to new recruits, or those attempting to move up. (yes-2, No-0)

16. You have wondered why Directors room with Directors and why a “we’re in”…”you’re out” mentality is subtly played. (yes-2, no-0)

17. Upon reaching Directorship, you are made aware that “selling the suit” is the reason consultants are left outside the Club, in a subtle manipulation to get them to want the position. You recall feeling odd about this, but dismissed it. (yes-2, no-0)

18. When another Director “quits” you become aware of how she is bashed for not working her business, and then no one speaks of her again. You recall being uncomfortable about this, but glad you are still “in” the group. (yes-2, no-0)

19. You have not made much money to speak of, but you pretend that you do when talking with prospects. (yes-2, no-0)

20. You were reluctant to recruit until you found out if you could make any money at this. Your Director convinced you that your path might not be someone else’s path and you were being “mean and nasty” for not “sharing”. (yes-2, no-0)

21. You are aware of the amount of weeks that 300 or better sales never happened in your unit, yet still pretended it was the “norm” or possible in your mind. (yes-2, no-0)

22. You have found yourself referring back to the sales of your perfect start week, or one big selling day, even though it may have been years ago. And you have not duplicated it since, (yes- 2, no-0)

23. How many women did you yourself activate for DIQ or Car Qualification? ( One-1pt, two-5 pts, 3-10 pts, 4-15 pts, 5 or more 30 pts.) (Double these points if you did it for both)

24. Have you rationalized this behavior with the words, “find a way or make a way”? (yes-2, no-0)

25. Have you switched from using your credit to another persons card or resources in order to maintain your “status” in the company? (yes-2, no-0)

26. You can remember making excuses for your Directors behavior or antics in front of your hostess, friend or family member. (yes-2, no-0)

27. You were coached to believe that only 2% of consultants will work toward career advancement, and that you should “let go” of the majority of failed consultants who drift off the radar. (yes-2, no-0)

28. You have observed how low sales are and how few classes are held overall in an average unit, or your own business, and feel foolish at applauding the “good news” of a $25 sale or a “possible” booking. You think your Director is rewarding “peanut” activity because there is nothing significant to reward.(yes-2, no-0)

29. You find yourself captivated and drawn in by the camaraderie and
laughter and staging of Unit events, believing the stories of the Directors and wishing to be accepted among them. Their fellowship is more important to you than your business’s profitability. (yes-2, no-0)

30. You actually think you have a business and are unaware of all the ways in which you actually do not have a business. (yes-2, no-0)

Any total above 8 , reveals “denial” is already operating in you.

You can evaluate just how fogged over you are based on how high the number. Anything over 60 means you probably need professional help, or will be de-pinking over the course of at least a year. Denial and rationalizations usually have a “warning” feeling before you shut them down for good. If you intend to stay in MK selling as a consultant, advance your ability to discern manipulation and rationalizations and denial to avoid loss of all intelligent thought.

Note to Corporate:
Please feel free to use this questionnaire with your sales force. Since we know you all have only the most honorable intentions and want Mary Kay to be an Authentic Cosmetics sales company, holding to encouraging beautiful lives, it seems right that your starting point should be to ascertain just how deeply in denial and manipulated your leaders are. They will keep teaching the same garbage unless you make it known that you are willing to have US sales “tank”, to promote integrity and honesty within the sales force.

In that regard, might we also suggest you use ACTUAL SALES from sales tickets, entered online, and spot checked periodically, to award SEMINAR UNIT CLUBS? After all, Unit Clubs are touted as RETAIL SALES, are they not? And yet you know they are not retail at all.

Obviously everybody pretends in Mary Kay.